


Almost out of this world

by Taeyn



Series: I wouldn’t date him in 10,000 years [5]
Category: Voltron: Legendary Defender
Genre: Alternate Universe - College/University, Developing Relationship, Falling In Love, Lancelot - Freeform, M/M, Pining Keith (Voltron), Team Feels, Tenderness, Trust
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2017-09-17
Updated: 2017-09-17
Packaged: 2018-12-30 19:56:00
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 3,236
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/12116085
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Taeyn/pseuds/Taeyn
Summary: Lotor turns, playful, catches Lance full on the mouth instead, eyes open and sparkling as Lance’s hands tangle at his jaw, his kiss stings warm and longing. It’s barely a second but Lance is left reeling, his cheeks flushed with pleasure.“Okay, hold that thought,” Lance manages, and Lotor has the grace not to look too pleased with himself as Lance stumbles, turns around and mouths-I’m fine, I’m fine-





	Almost out of this world

**Author's Note:**

> ♡ as well as Team Voltron, I also really have a lot of feels for the Team Lotor dynamic
> 
> ♡♡ the prompt for this one was ‘Altea/Galra’. At this rate I’ll be just about done by next year’s Lotor-Week :_))
> 
> ♡♡♡ Lance and Lotor are in a relationship in this series <3

Ezor pokes her head into Lotor’s living room, a mess of colourful outfits over one arm and a hairdryer in the other.

“Um,” she says cheerfully, glances to Lance, to Acxa, and then finally to Lotor, who’s tipping his head backward, making the face he’d like Acxa to copy.

“Did the walls change colour since I’ve been gone?” Ezor asks, curious, as if this might generally be something that happens between visits. “I swear that spare bedroom used to be yellow, not moody-bubblegum-blue?”

“Indigo-azure,” Lotor hums pleasantly, and he leans closer to Acxa with his eyeliner, the lid of the pen held between his teeth. “I thought it might be nice to freshen things up a bit.”

Lotor squints, arm hovered in the air and wrist held steady, then lightly traces the corner of Acxa’s eyelid, sweeping up in a dangerous-looking wing at the edge. Acxa blinks, then hesitates, Lotor’s gazing at her gently but she looks away.

“You didn’t have to,” she murmurs, apologetic, but Lotor gives a twitch of his head, something stern and sad flickering in his eyes. Acxa takes a breath. “It won’t be for too long.”

“Acxa, for however long you-” Lotor begins to say, quietly, but then Acxa looks so remorseful that he stops, tucks his arms around his knees and reconsiders. Lance knows Acxa had to return early from her international exchange program, but further than that, Lance isn’t even sure she’s told Lotor the full story.

Only that Lotor seems worried, Acxa needs a place to stay, and Ezor seems to be doing her best to cheer everyone up.

“Okay, moment of truth,” Acxa ventures after a second, as if sensing the mood. She gives Lotor an affectionate nudge with her ankle, which seems to comfort him a little. Ezor scoots forward with the mirror, and Acxa peers at her reflection, her eyes widening in surprise.

“ _Yeah,_ wowzers,” Ezor agrees, grinning, she perches on the edge of the coffee table and flops her head into the heel of her hand. “I think I need to take a cold shower.”

“ _Ezor_ ,” Acxa laughs, but she can’t help a smile, her tone is fond as she rolls her eyes. Lance wants to say something too, but hanging with Lotor’s friends still feels unfamiliar, half their jokes seem to be exchanged via thought alone. Not wanting to stuff it up, Lance gives Acxa a friendly nod and a double thumbs-up, sees Lotor’s expression soften as he does. Lotor shuffles back to where Lance is sitting, wraps his arms around him from behind and rests his chin on Lance’s shoulder. It’s such an easy, comfortable gesture that Lance immediately feels less shy, and more like he belongs.

“Okay, I’m just going to say it once, and then you can all agree with me,” Ezor says happily, and she chooses one of her rainbow jumpsuits from the assortment of clothes, holds it up for inspection. “We should all go out tonight. Go out _dancing_. At Altea.”

Ezor brims to a hopeful smile, which quickly falls as Acxa presses her lips, an unreadable glance swaps between them. At first Lance thinks there’s something about Altea that Lotor doesn’t like, his arms stiffen ever so slightly in the silence that follows. But then Lotor turns to him, something oddly vulnerable in the line of his mouth, and Lance realises with some astonishment that this concern is in fact for _Lance_.

“Oh, I love dancing,” Lance says quickly, and he means it. “Altea’s the place with all the paper lanterns, right? And it looks all magical and stuff? Yeah, yeah, I always wanted to go there.”

Lotor eases back into their embrace, his head heavier on Lance’s shoulder as he blinks for a second too long. Lance isn’t sure if he’s upset or relieved.

“Ah,” says Lotor, his long fingers tugging gently at Lance’s. He tries to smile. “Well, perhaps we should, then. There won’t be another chance.”

“Yeah?” asks Lance, confused. If word of mouth is anything to go by, almost everyone has a memorable Altea-story. “Altea’s shutting down?”

“Sort of,” Acxa murmurs, and her eyes darken, unsure. “Altea was bought-out for property development. There have been a few protests. Some people feel… that it shouldn’t have been.”

“Oh,” says Lance, quiet. Though he’s never been there, he feels weirdly sentimental when he realises the oldest building in his home town is marked for demolition. “The owners wanted to sell?”

“No,” says Lotor, and his voice sounds firmer than Lance expects, his stare fixed on some point on the wall that Lance can’t see. “Not really.”

Lance wants to hug him, he can feel Lotor’s hands have tightened in his own. But then the moment is gone, Lotor sits back and loosens his grip, his eyes come back into focus.

“It was my father’s company, Lance,” Lotor says softly. “And far out of my control. I very much wish it wasn’t. And I apologise if you… might wish the same.”

“What? No,” says Lance, and he furrows his brow, desperately wants say something more reassuring. “I don’t- I mean, I’m glad you told me.”

 _I’d never blame you,_ is what he wants to say, _for something that isn’t your fault._

Lotor seems to hear it anyway, he gently dips his head, gives Lance’s hand a small squeeze.

_Thank you._

“And if it’s only open for one more night,” says Lance, ventures a glance to Lotor, then Acxa, then Ezor. “Then yeah. We definitely need to make it count!”

Lance smiles, and to his surprise sees Acxa and Ezor brim to slow, genuine smiles back at him, a sincerity to their expressions that he’s never seen before.

When Lotor gives a half-smile as well, his eyes creasing as he glances to one side, Lance realises it means a lot to him too.

“And then when we get there, we should walk through the entrance all dramatically, like in a straight line,” says Ezor. She raises both hands, giggling as Acxa pretends to throw a cushion at her. “ _What?_ It looks _cool_. I didn’t hear you complaining when we did it in high school!”

“We never did that in high school,” Lotor says stiffly, but there’s an unfamiliar note to his tone, and Lance covers a grin with his sleeve as he sees a vague trace of warmth at Lotor’s cheeks.

“Uhhumm yes we did, Lotor, it was only your idea!” Ezor protests, then shrieks as Acxa lets go of the cushion in favour of hug-tackling her to the ground. “You were all-” and she drops her voice, all deep and velvety, does a surprisingly accurate impression of Lotor’s- “ _I’ll_ walk in the middle, because I’m the tall one, nobody do anything undignified like _smile_ , we should all let our hair blow gracefully in the wind-”

“My goodness, if we don’t start getting ready now we’ll never make it in time,” Lotor says weakly, then fusses with his scarf, half his face hidden behind the material by the time he’s finished rearranging.

“I hope you saved the family album,” Lance says mischievously, and Ezor and Acxa look guiltily delighted, they’re racing to pull out their phones before Lotor can escape to his bedroom.

“I can hear your betrayal from out here!” Lotor calls from the hallway, but he can’t help a laugh as Lance makes an incoherent welp at their high-school selfies.

“We love you, Lo!” Ezor yells back, then collapses into giggles as Acxa finds a photo of them all with matching halloween sweaters, Lotor’s eyes popped and mouth grimaced in alarm as his squad leaps out at him from behind.

“Love you too,” Lotor calls after a moment, then slams his door as Acxa and Ezor make equally touched ‘aww’ faces.

And then, Lance reaches for his phone as well, and before he can even suggest it, Ezor leans in and pulls an awful face at the camera, Acxa tries to keep a straight one and fails.

“One for the family album,” Acxa murmurs, and gives a gentle nod, a small, rare smile.

-

“This… this is-” Lance can’t stop staring as they walk through the doors, his mouth parts on an inhale and his eyes go watery from not-blinking. “I feel like I’m in another world,” he mumbles, and Lotor glances down, his expression strangely tender as he threads his fingers through Lance’s.

“I’m so glad you like it,” Lotor says softly, and though he sounds wistful, he brims to a smile when Lance swaps their hand-hold for an arm around his waist. “I’m so glad I could show you, then.”

“So am I,” whispers Lance, though in truth, _like_ doesn’t even half cover it. However mesmerising Altea appeared from outside, it’s nothing compared to the vaulted ceilings and sweeping passages, the staircases and dark, overgrown balconies that Lance is now seeing. He’s pretty sure there’s even some kind of waterfall in the garden outside. He knew the nightclub was housed within a historic building, but now, standing beneath the high, stone-carved archways, he feels more like they’re in some mysterious castle, as if he might turn any corner and find the room wasn’t there the next day.

“Over here,” Lotor murmurs, and there’s a shy, hopeful flicker in his tone as Lance grins. Lotor guides them around the main stage, the stares of various other guests lingering as they walk. Lance has noticed it at college, Lotor’s the kind of person who always receives a second glance. But here, with the haze and the low, pastel lights, he looks almost ethereal, colours washing above his cheekbones, catching and glimmering as his hair falls around his face.

“Mhm?” Lotor hums, and it’s a warm, resonant sound, Lance tips his head back when Lotor does, his mouth falling ajar as he gazes up. Above them are hundreds of tiny lights, they seem to ebb and float entirely of their own accord. Lance thinks it must be a reflection, or the breeze, but the longer he stares the less he can work it out, they look like fireflies in the dark.

“Wow…” Lance whispers, a shot of air escaping his lungs. Lotor holds him close, presses his cheek to Lance’s hair when Lance feels almost overwhelmed.

“Jeez. I think the drinks are getting to me and I haven’t even had any,” Lance laughs, and Lotor looks surprisingly emotional as he laughs in return. Behind them, Acxa and Ezor have nearly caught up, Ezor waving and twirling around as she spots them, her ponytail bouncing at her waist. Lance’s gaze travels to Acxa, who looks somehow soothed by the music, she doesn’t dance but that doesn’t stop Ezor demonstrating some more dangerous-looking moves.

“Hey, let me fetch us all some-” Lance starts, gestures toward the bar and freezes in astonishment. There, slouched against one of the ivy-covered stone pillars is Keith, arms folded across his chest. He’s wearing a charcoal t-shirt and jeans, both look nearly black in the shadows. He’s staring vaguely toward the stage, his bangs hanging messily over his eyes. He crosses one ankle over the other, lost in thought, and Lance feels a pang of regret as he realises he never in a million years thought Keith would want to go out dancing.

“Um,” mumbles Lance, Keith hasn’t seen them and Lance isn’t sure if he came with anyone else. Lotor looks over, then gives Lance’s shoulder a tentative squeeze.

“Go,” he says gently, dips his head in Keith’s direction. “We’ll be right here.”

Lance leans up and kisses Lotor’s cheek- he’s not sure why, other than he wants to see Lotor twitch to a smile- but Lotor turns, playful, catches Lance full on the mouth instead, eyes open and sparkling as Lance’s hands tangle at his jaw, his kiss stings warm and longing. It’s barely a second but Lance is left reeling, his cheeks flushed with pleasure.

“Okay, hold that thought,” Lance manages, and Lotor has the grace not to look too pleased with himself as Lance stumbles, turns around and mouths- _I’m fine, I’m fine_ \- then hurries toward the bar before Keith disappears into the crowd.

It isn’t until Lance has almost reached him that a small, uncomfortable thought hits him. Keith didn’t exactly text to invite Lance out either.

Maybe Keith doesn’t _want_ to see him.

Lance hesitates, worried. If Keith’s having a good time with some other friends from college, maybe he shouldn’t interfere. They’ve barely run into each other since Keith admitted his feelings. And, though Lance is mostly positive it’s a consequence of having equally crazy study timetables, another part of him desperately doesn’t want to acknowledge that Keith might need time alone.

Lance takes a breath, hangs his head. He really doesn’t want this to be weird.

When he looks up, Keith is standing right in front of him.

“Did you get lost?” Keith says wryly, and Lance realises he’s been standing and blocking the queue to the bar for at least a half-minute now. When Lance only blinks at him in surprise, Keith offers a small smile, crumples an eyebrow to try and make it clear that he’s kidding.

“Feel like rescuing me?” Lance shoots back, relief blossoming in his chest, and Keith shrugs, like, _hey, any day,_ then gives a flinch of his jaw for Lance to follow, leads him to one of the balconies overlooking the garden. The air is cool outside, the stars bright and a vague trace of winter pine in the air.

“So I was hijacked by force,” Keith starts, and Lance glances to where he’s looking, sees Pidge and Hunk happily jumping up and down next to the stage. “What’s your excuse?”

“Team Lotor?” Lance laughs, and he points beneath the fairy-lights, where Lotor’s somehow convinced Acxa to dance. Acxa lifts up her arm and spins him around, Lotor completing the twist with such elegance that Lance wonders if he isn’t some sort of gymnast. Then, Lotor throws her a sillier look, spreads his arms as if to indicate- _and now dip me to the ground-_ and Acxa half-falls on top of him as she tries, Ezor doubled over with giggles as she sees them.

Lance looks back at Keith, searching, hoping against hope that he hasn’t ruined Keith’s night. Keith leans back against the balcony, softly tips his head to one side.

“Come here,” he murmurs, and then wraps an arm around Lance’s shoulders as they stare out into the sky. His arm feels heavy, his fingers loosely curled into Lance’s t-shirt, his scent of blackberry and firewood. Keith turns his head, presses a careful kiss to the side of Lance’s brow, the spot where Lance can never get his hair to stay behind his ear.

“I’m okay,” Keith whispers, and he lightly rubs Lance’s shoulder, Lance can feel each of Keith’s fingertips as a breeze prickles over his neck. Keith looks at him, sincere, huffs a breath toward his nose as his bangs sweep into his eyes. “...I promise.”

Lance gazes back, unsure, Keith’s smile is gentle but Lance’s heart is racing. There’s a low, humming music from the dancefloor, chatter floating up from the garden. And here, in the middle of it all, something Lance can’t even begin to explain, a wild, reckless energy stings in his throat and leaves him breathless.

“I’m… not sure _I’m_ okay?” Lance manages, gives Keith a helpless blink as he tries to figure out what he even means.

Keith laughs, and the sound is low and husky, his mouth pinches uneven as he rests his head against Lance’s shoulder. His ear is cold, his exhale a fog in the dark.

“Then I’ll make it okay,” he says softly, and he glances up as Lance shivers, moves his hand to Lance’s upper arm to warm him. “C’mon,” he mutters, quirks a clumsy grin and tugs Lance back toward Lotor and his friends. “It’s our last night to dance.”

“Yep, now I’m certain, I’m definitely in another world!” Lance announces, Keith is dragging him by the wrist, actually heading for the dancefloor of his own volition.

Keith laughs again, but the sound is swallowed in the pulse of the music. Lance waves to Lotor, then stands on tiptoe to catch a glimpse of Hunk and Pidge. The crowds have mostly scattered, and when Lance checks his phone, he realises it’s nearly morning, and they don’t have long before the doors are formally closed.

“Pidge!” Keith bellows, and Lance flails his arms as she glances around, then starts making her way across the room, Hunk in tow.

Lance turns, then grins in astonishment- in the time he’s been out on the balcony, Lotor, Acxa and Ezor have gotten hold of some kind of glittery facepaint, they all have swipes of colour beneath their eyes, the markings glowing blue and pink under the blacklights.

“Oh, oh, I want some!” Hunk says enthusiastically, and Ezor is only too happy to oblige, she paints two careful flickers of gold beneath Hunk’s eyes. Lotor offers the green to Pidge and Lance laughs- he’s clearly trying to coordinate with her green sweater. Keith holds still for Acxa- she’s apparently figured out what he’s asking without either of them speaking- and Lotor turns his paintbrush to Lance, dips his knees.

“Yes?” he asks quietly, and Lance smiles back, his throat closing with that same, intangible affection, Lotor always seems to say more without words too.

“Yes,” Lance answers, and Lotor lightly applies a sweep of pastel blue to each of Lance’s cheeks, the same as his own. His stare lingers in the second that follows, and, as if he can’t quite explain it either, Lotor gently leans forward, rests his brow to Lance’s. Lotor closes his eyes, lashes fluttering against his cheeks. When Lance blinks a moment later, he sees Lotor gazing back at him, fierce and fond.

And then he straightens, whirls Lance in a graceful arc and catches him in both arms, Lance soaring and sinking at once.

“You’re making me look too good,” Lance laughs, giddy, but Lotor shakes his head as the room blinks and swirls, Lance can see his friends spinning and yelling as they dance.

“I often think the same,” Lotor murmurs, and though his eyes are dark, his mouth pulls up at the corners, Lance’s chest squeezes heavy, then light.

“Look, now I’m the tall one!” yelps Ezor, and Lance sees her perched behind Acxa’s shoulders, one leg draped at either side of Acxa’s head.

“Oh no no no, we’ve got this,” Pidge grins, and without needing to confirm it with Hunk, he quickly stands still, Pidge swings herself up onto his back and stands, boots on shoulders, perfectly straight and balanced.

“I’m not with them,” Keith exclaims, when Pidge starts frantically gesturing that he should stand on Hunk’s shoulders too. “We’ve never met.”

But he’s smiling, holds out his arms in case Pidge is about to leap across, and Lance is suddenly grinning in return. He knows they’ll win hands-down if he can get Keith to stand on _his_ shoulders, but before Lance can suggest it, the first rays of sunlight filter in through the windows, the music slowly dims. Lance looks up, and through the blur of his gaze he can still see the firefly-lights above, they shimmer in the bright, then wink, then fade.

“It’s time,” Lotor whispers.

He stares up, then closes his eyes, like he can’t.

“...it’s over.”

-

**Author's Note:**

> tysm for reading! :'> comments & kudos are always adored and appreciated, or [say hi to me on tumblr~!](http://sillyshiro.tumblr.com/) <3


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